Microsoft/Gateway

Jermaine –

Victim Location 52002

Type of a scam Identity Theft

On Wed, Sept 27,2017, I was searching the internet for recipes and tried several websites in the process. All of a sudden a message appeared at the top of the screen stating Microsoft had detected through rootkit identity theft a cyber crime which needed to be taken care of immediately and I was to call this certain 800 number and Microsoft could run a diagnostic report for me. I of course thought it was legitimate when I saw the word Microsoft. My computer has been acting up a lot of late and I wondered if I was being hacked but did not worry about it as I do not use my computer for any of my business, I pay all my bills by check the old fashioned way so my business dealings may not be compromised. I do not answer my phone but instead let my answering machine filter my calls. I have had numerous scam calls which I had reported to the local police department and they told me I was handling this properly by not talking to anyone unless I knew them. I try to stay safe but must have been a victim of the EQUAFAX mess I saw on the news. The party on the phone said he would run a diagnostic report

and try to fix my problem no charge, however, if Microsoft could not fix this he would have to turn it over to Gateway where everyones info is stored and they would have a charge of between $3000 and $3500 (approx. amt in my checking presently) and this would have to be paid

via a cashiers check or a money order only. He said I had agreed to have him switch me over because he tricked me into typing some

URL in which he recited (when I thought it was legit). I told him I lived across the street from the police department and he even told me

I was DUMB and that I could throw my computer away and this would follow me on my computer, my cell phone, my land line unless I

had Gateway fix it but they could not do it for FREE. As he was switching me over (supposedly) I hung up on him. About 60 seconds

later, I had a call back (the number listed above) I do not have the 800 number I called originally as I was shaking and very upset and

tried to write some of the things he was saying on a scratch pad as I could not remember all his lies. He sounded like he was from India and he asked me where I was located and asked personal about my husband. Later on he asked me what country I was in and I said "the USA, of course!" (red flag) and he said he had to ask as many people from Canada call. I guess he thought Dubuque, Iowa could be in Canada and he lied to me I am sure when he said his name was Andrew R Lou and he lived in New Jersey. I asked for his name and he gave it and

he stuttered around and spelled it for me. If I would say "I beg your pardon, I do not understand." he would become very upset with me. To put icing on the cake, he told me the serial number on my computer and I turned in over and looked – it freaked me out. I have a Toshiba

computer, a laptop which is about 6 years old—how in the world did he know this??? He also claimed unless I paid the money to Gateway,

I would not be able to use any electronic—t.v. or cell phone or land line or computer. I said I had great doubt about this as they are in no way connected to one another—no package deal, all are with separate servers. (I caught him in his doubletalk, his lies) I just got a bogus call

on my phone, a local number. On call back, the line is either busy or it says this number has been disconnected or is no longer in service.

It is a track phone (tract phone) which they use for their dirty work, then throw it away and this goes on and on. Thank you.